Barney's Blog

Blog archive

Windows XP, Server 2003 Winding Down

All good or even mediocre things must come to an end, and so it is with XP SP2 and Windows Server 2000 and 2003, for which extended support will end this summer.

Microsoft is pushing customers to upgrade before July 31 or suffer the no-support consequences. If you don't upgrade but still want a failsafe, you'll have to buy a custom support plan. XP users have another, simpler option: Just upgrade to SP3! That will be supported for three more years.

If you're on Windows 7 RC, you best move to the real thing soon. Starting today, your machine may start shutting down for two hours at a time. There's a free trial version that will buy you another three months of uninterrupted use.

Does Microsoft support end too soon or go on too long? Tell us at [email protected].

Posted by Doug Barney on March 01, 2010 at 11:53 AM


Featured

  • Business Connectivity Services Ending for Microsoft 365

    Microsoft plans to block Business Connectivity Services used by Microsoft 365 customers next year, steering them to Power Apps instead.

  • Microsoft Mesh for Teams Coming in October Preview

    A public preview of Microsoft Mesh for Microsoft Teams will arrive next month.

  • Azure Database for MariaDB Ending in 2025

    Microsoft will "retire" its Azure Database for MariaDB service on Sept. 19, 2025.

  • Orgs Now Getting the New Outlook for Windows

    The new Outlook for Windows 11 app is now at the "general availability" release stage for personal users, but it's also "enterprise ready."